As a result of the Montreal Protocol phasing out ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), industry has been working for the past few decades to find replacement refrigerants. The solution for most refrigerant producers has been the commercialization of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. The new hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, HFC-134a being the most widely used at this time, have zero ozone depletion potential and thus are not affected by the current regulatory phase out as a result of the Montreal Protocol. The production of other hydrofluorocarbons for use in applications such as solvents, blowing agents, cleaning agents, aerosol propellants, heat transfer media, dielectrics, fire extinguishants and power cycle working fluids has also been the subject of considerable interest.
There is also considerable interest in developing new refrigerants with reduced global warming potential for the mobile air-conditioning market.
HFC-1234yf and HFC-1234ze, both having zero ozone depletion and low global warming potential, have been identified as potential refrigerants. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0106263 A1 discloses the separate production of HFC-1234ze (mixture of E- and Z-isomers) by a catalytic vapor phase dehydrofluorination of CF3CH2CHF2 and of HFC-1234yf by a catalytic vapor phase dehydrofluorination of CF3CF2CH3.
There is a need for new manufacturing processes for the production both HFC-1234yf and HFC-1234ze.